FREE Newsletter

Tennis originated from a 12th
century French game called paume (meaning palm); it was a court game where
the ball was struck with the hand. Paume evolved into jeu de paume and
rackets were used. The game spread and evolved in Europe. In 1873, Major
Walter Wingfield invented a game called Sphairistikè (Greek for
"playing ball) from which modern outdoor tennis evolved.

Games of racket and ball (including
real tennis in Great Britain, royal tennis in Australia, and court tennis
in the United States, all of which are the same game and played indoors)
originated from a 12th and 13th century French handball game called jeu
de paume (game of the palm). In 1873, Major Walter Wingfield invented a
game called sphairistikè, from which modern outdoor tennis evolved.
- Encyclopedia Britannica

New
Zealand Tennis - The Origins of Lawn TennisThe first ball game to be played
with rackets is thought to have been tchigan, a Persian game whose relationship
to tennis is rather obscure. A probable ancestor of the modern game was
sphairistike, played in Ancient Greece.

Tennis
HistorySites tracing the history of tennis
from its origins to the most recent Hall of Fame enshrinees, from About's
own guide to tennis, Jeff Cooper.